DOH reminds public: Be critical in interpreting vaccine data
Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire (Senate PRIB Photo)
MANILA, Philippines — Following a report of purported COVID-19 vaccine-related deaths, the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday asked the public to exercise greater skepticism when reading data.
Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire issued the caution in a briefing Friday following claims by Public Attorney’s Office forensic chief Erwin Erfe that the country had experienced an increase in “excess deaths” since launching the vaccine program for COVID-19.
According to a report published on its website, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a regulatory agency under DOH, has reported 2,620 “fatal events” as of August 6, 2022.
The FDA also mentioned in its report that out of 159,376,952 total doses administered, only 105,897 or 0.07 percent of suspected adverse effects were reported, while only 9,426 or 0.006 percent of suspected severe adverse reactions were reported.
Erfe claimed that the total number of deaths after getting the vaccine is “underreported.”
But Vergeire said: “Unang una, kailangang maging mapanuri ang ating mga kababayan. Kailangan kapag tumitingin po tayo ng datos, iniintindi natin ang nakalagay sa datos,” Vergeire said.
(First of all, we must be careful when looking at data; we must understand it.)
Vergeire also said the reported deaths after COVID-19 vaccines “does not necessarily mean the vaccines caused the deaths of these individuals.”
The DOH official echoed FDA’s warning that “reports of fatal outcome do not necessarily mean that the vaccine caused the events.”
The FDA said that “underlying conditions or pre-existing medical conditions causing fatal events are usually coincidental with the use of the vaccine.”
Among the comorbidities of the vaccinees were cardiovascular diseases, ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and infections, including pneumonia.
